UK government proceeding with ‘Space Port’

The British government is issuing a ‘Request for Proposals’ (RFP) to potentially interested parties to build a UK ‘Spaceport’ similar to those in the Mojave Desert and used by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic operation.

The giant French aerospace operation Airbus Safran says it will be taking part in the bidding process. According to an article in Wallonie Space, Airbus’ CFO Alain Charmeau, said they were interested in the project.

First mooted by the UK Space Agency at the 2014 Farnborough International Air Show, and designed to be initially used for space tourism the development and construction costs were put at £50 million (in 2014). The first flight was planned to take place this year, but public consultations on possible sites have slowed this timetable down.

Various locations have been considered including Newquay, Cornwall, as well as an RAF base in Lossiemouth, Scotland.